


The Married Life of A Superhero

by PhoenixPlume117



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette | Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Angst, COVID-19, F/M, Fashion & Couture, Fluff and Angst, Identity Reveal, Just Friends, Just Married, Kim LeChien as Chat Noir, Living Together, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Reveal, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:35:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28515798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixPlume117/pseuds/PhoenixPlume117
Summary: In 2019 Adrien moved to the US for six years of university, forcing Ladybug to choose a new Chat Noir.  When he comes home he starts seeing Marinette and they quickly fall in love and more quickly than everyone else would like them to, they choose to marry.  After a year of marriage Plagg comes to Adrien telling him he needs to be Chat Noir again.But Marinette and Adrien both worry:Can you be married to a civilian, when you’re a superhero?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur, Luka Couffaine/Alix Kubdel
Comments: 18
Kudos: 40





	1. I Will Remember You - Sarah McLachlan

**Author's Note:**

> The end of summer and University will begin soon Marinette is ready to say goodbye to Adrien but is surprised to find another boy leaving her too. How can she fight akuma’s without her partner, can Ladybug work alone? Who will the new Chat Noir be?
> 
> After winning numerous design contests and interning with him, Marinette is now Gabriel’s protege and has been named his successor when he retires. But per their agreement Marinette will attend ESMOD International School first and work her way up through the company. Meanwhile in preparation to take the reins as head of Gabriel’s business side, Adrien is leaving for New York City for university there. 
> 
> Thank you so much [KeysiShepert](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeysiShepert/works), [KumaJeanne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KumaJeanne/works) for all your help with language and culture, [Hanaasbananas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanaasbananas/works), [LaadyChat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/laadychat/works), [Yslen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yslen/pseuds/Yslen/works), That-Starbucks-Lover, Spreadmydarkwings, the Hawkdaddy group on tumblr and the rest of the ML Writers group on tumblr. Ya'll mean the world to me! Thanks so much, you've been priceless!

July 2019

"So you're not telling her?" Plagg said, looked down at him with irritation. 

Adrien sat on his sofa with his elbows on his knees and his fingers threaded together behind his neck with his head hanging. His cheeks were wet and his nose ran with his misery, "I can't,” he choked out a whisper, “she's not an idiot, she'd figure it out."

Plagg hefted his ring around his waist, "I never took you for a coward kid."

Adrien felt a fresh wave of misery slam into him and nodded, "Then you were wrong."

Plagg's righteous indignation in Marinette's honor deflated and he floated over to Adrien's desk where he deposited the ring then zipped back to the young man. "Come on, you're not a coward," he said, pawing at the front of Adrien's hair awkwardly.

Adrien laughed miserably, "I'm going to miss you so much," he said and felt his eyes sting with the promise of more tears

"Aw, Kid you can't say stuff like that!"

Adrien reached up and plucked the Kwami from his brow and pulled him to his shoulder to hug him.

"Did that make you feel better?"

Adrien smiled, shaking his head, "I thought it would in my mind but as far as hugs go it wasn't great."

"You're like hugging a mattress yourself so I wouldn't go complaining about others," Plagg grumbled.

Adrien wiped his eyes with his wrist then reached for a tissue, "Plagg, I want to tell her but I can't."

Adrien looked at his desk. Next to his keyboard innocently lay the silver ring that had come to mean so much to him, "Remember Ladybug and her are friends. When you give Ladybug the ring. Will you ask her to tell Marinette that I couldn't say anything. Make sure she knows I wanted to, okay?" Adrien said, eyes slowly filling again.

Plagg awkwardly patted again, "Oh, Kid," he sighed, "I'm going to miss you so much," he said with something that _sounded_ distinctly like a sniff. "I'll tell her," he sighed, _these two are the most complicated kitten and bug I've ever known,_ he thought.

Marinette finished dinner with her parents, happy and excited. In two weeks she will be starting at ESMOD university. She helped clean up and went upstairs to find a very upset Plagg being comforted by Tikki with his ring on her pillow. 

Marinette quietly sat down on her bed.

Plagg looked up at her miserably. Bubbles issuing from his mouth, "... wanted to tell you, he did, but he knew you would figure out who he was if he did. He knows Marinette and Ladybug are 'friends'," he bent his whole paw to make bunny ears with a sarcastic voice. "He's a wreck right now."

Marinette couldn't respond verbally. She nodded or shook her head in reply as needed, feeling her stomach tie in knots and suddenly felt it ascend into the back of her throat. She covered her mouth and slid down her loft's stair rail rushing to her sink in time for her dinner to reappear.

The next day Marinette was running on the trail along the bank of the Seine, trying to relieve some of her stress, when she heard the alarms sound followed by everyone's cell phones, hers included beeping their familiar Akuma alerts. She pulled her phone out and looked around. Shopkeepers were already opening their doors to urge their patrons to come indoors and directing passersby to the designated city mandated “Safe Zones” for Akuma attacks.

Marinette ran to the alley behind a pharmacy, and transformed. Soon she was after the akuma… alone. Plagg was back in the Miracle box, in her room, he had told her she needed to find a new Chat Noir, so had Tikki. She dodged something colorful that looked like slimy mud. She’d thought she’d have more time, apparently not. The closer she got to the Akuma the more the city looked like a model or a toy that had been left outside and covered in colored mud and garbage. 

“What is happening?” She whispered to herself.

“I am Natural Disaster!” the akumatized person said as if they’d heard her. “If people insist on polluting our waterways they’re going to have to learn to live with the consequences!” 

“Oh, no,” Ladybug said.

Suddenly Natural Disaster waved her hand and a tsunami of mud swept forward overtaking another few blocks to Ladybug’s horror. Without Chat even if she found the object the akuma was in how would she break it? _No! This is not the time for second guesses._ She looked at the way the woman rode her own personal mini wave of mud and filth around then threw her yo-yo in the air. No longer limited by how many items she could recieve or how long she could fight Ladybug’s strategy had long since changed to getting an item before first contact.

“Lucky Charm!” she said, surprised when a spotted fire extinguisher dropped into her hands, “Great, now I have to figure this out?” she said, tossing her yo-yo to let it pull her away from the on coming new tsunami of mud. She rushed to face Natural Disaster, looking around for a way to use her first object. She looked at the ball of filth the akumatized woman was speeding around on and thought she’d figured it out what she needed to do. She tossed out her yo-yo and swung forward taking aim she sprayed the ball stopping it’s spin and Natural Disaster’s movement. 

Surprisingly it seemed the woman wasn’t capable of moving at all and Ladybug quickly ran forward and kicked at the frozen ball shattering it freeing Natural Disasters legs but no butterfly. The woman laughed but was unable to conjure a new ball of pollution and ran at Ladybug. Ladybug swung up to the top of the nearest building and called for another, Lucky Charm, surprised when a tiny key fell into her hand watched the extinguisher disappear. Ladybug looked at Natural Disaster closely and sure enough, one side of a pair of handcuffs dangled from her left hand. 

“Ladybug! You can’t hide up there forever,” she held out the shackled hand, “give me your earrings, you haven’t even _tried_ to help the majority of the living beings in this city and you call yourself a hero?” Natural Disaster accused. Ladybug pursed her lips. She couldn’t deny her focus hadn’t really been on anyone other than the human population of Paris but wasn’t Natural Disaster being a little unfair? 

“You aren’t getting my earrings and whatever Hawkmoth has said he will give you is a lie,” She said, coming back down from the building.

“It’s not! I’ve already pulled all this filth from the Seine with the powers he gave me!” Marinette looked at the trash and mud all over the walls and streets and her eyes bugged out. That meant when the Miraculous cure came through they would actually be polluting the river by putting it back. Ugh, this really was a bad day. _Just get her talking, that’s what Chat Noir does_! Marinette told herself. It seemed the longer she waited to pull the akuma from the woman the more she pulled from the river and spread all over the land.

“What happened today?” Ladybug asked, slowly walking toward the woman. The question surprised Natural Disaster so much the tsunami of pollution she was pulling from the river slid back from her magical grip.

“I was arrested for doing the right thing,” she said emphatically. Ladybug inched closer finally figuring out what she needed to do but not sure how to achieve it.

“That happens sometimes. Tell me more, what happened to you?” she said getting closer.

“I was working when I saw all this industrial waste just pouring into the river so I went to the building and found the owner of the company to tell them they couldn’t do that and _I_ was arrested!” Natural Disaster said. She seemed to realize Ladybug was getting close and she made a pulling motion bringing her hands together then clapping them and two waves of pollution crashed right behind where Ladybug had been standing. 

Except Ladybug had already laid her trap and tossed her yo-yo tying Akumatized environmentalist tight her arms pinned to her sides the waves of pollution fell from everywhere and began to slide from buildings oozing decades and even centuries of garbage. Ladybug hurried over to the woman and slid the key into the shackle’s lock, surprised the akuma flew out without needing her to break it. She hurriedly cleansed it and reset her city. Then without her partner there she comforted the Akuma victim, Marine.

“I’m so sorry Ladybug, I can’t believe this happened to me. I let the whole city down,” she said. Her guilt was so strong Ladybug was afraid she’d get akumatized again over it.

“No, Marine, it’s not your fault, everyone is entitled to their feelings. Hawkmoth is the one who takes our feelings and makes them dangerous against our will,” Ladybug said.

“Okay,” Marine said sniffing as two paramedics gently took her from Ladybug’s hands, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” 

The two paramedics thanked her as they took Marine’s vitals but ultimately urged Ladybug to go for Marine’s privacy. That was fine, she needed to go home, get the black cat miraculous, and get changed, she was meeting Alya and the guys for lunch… And figuring out who would be the new Chat Noir.

“Marinette? Are you okay?” Alya asked with concern at the cafe.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, did you say something?” Marinette looked up at her friend with a halfhearted smile that was obviously fake by her red rimmed eyes. 

Alya looked over at Adrien whose model handsome face was puffy, his eyes were red, and his nose was swollen. He was either sick or he’d been crying too. _No! Could they be?!_ She looked at Nino and tried to mentally yell, _‘Were they secretly dating?!’_ Nino’s forehead screwed as he tried to decipher his fiance’s obvious attempt at ESP. He just looked at her blankly and shrugged then cleared his throat.

“If you’re done chasing that blueberry around your plate let’s make some plans, we only have a few more days before…” Nino said to Adrien letting the sentence hang. Adrien looked up from his plate guiltily and looked at Nino then the girls.

“Oh, uh, sorry. Yeah, sure, what do you guys want to do?” Adrien offered weakly.

“What do _you_ want to do? You’re the one lea-,” Marinette quickly offered before Alya or Nino could say anything, but she didn’t seem able to finish the word so she just bit her lip. Adrien smiled weakly at his friend’s obvious sadness. 

“I’m going to miss you too Marinette,” he said halfheartedly, then turned to Nino, “I don’t know, Louvre?”

“Sure, sounds good man,” Nino said as Alya watched the other two interact agog. 

While touring the Louvre the group divided into couples but when Marinette saw Luka she asked Adrien if he would mind giving her a few minutes to speak with him. He looked confused but nodded and walked away. After seeing Luka she realized he would make a great Chat Noir, he was smart, resourceful, a good team player, he had tons of good qualities.

“Hey Marinette,” Luka said with a wave and a smile.

“Hey,” she said, “um, I have a, it’s kind of an important thing I need to discuss with you,” she reached down to open her purse, but looked up when she saw Alix run into the gallery they were in.

“Hey Babe,” Luka said, kissing her temple. Alix smiled and accepted the kiss but urgently spoke to Marinette.

“Hey Marinette, I haven’t seen you in forever!” she said hugging her to whisper in her ear, “Luka’s not your man.” Marinette gasped in shock.

“That’s not, I wasn’t trying to, I didn’t mean!” Marinette spluttered, to Alix’s delight. Alix laughed while she pulled Marinette's arm and the girls walked away from Luka’s earshot.

“I mean, he’s not your Chat Noir, I know you’re not trying to steal him. I will tell you he already knows how to work with a staff.”

“Oh. Huh? Okay… Alix? Can’t you just tell me?” Marinette whined. Alix shook her head.

“Spoilers,” Alix said with a smile walking back to Luka.

“You’re such a geek,” Marinette said with a smile then waved to Luka as she walked away. Alix would fill him in. What did she mean he already knows how to work with a staff? Marinette was so lost in thought she nearly knocked Adrien and herself down the stairs when she ran into him.

“Woah, hey Marinette!” Adrien said catching her arm at the top of the stairs.

“Oh! Thanks for saving me,” she smiled sadly, “I really am going to miss you.” Adrien frowned his fingers sliding down her arm to her hand.

“I’ll miss you too,” he said honestly.

“It’s only for four years right?” Marinette asked.

“Uh, about that. I haven’t actually told Nino but it’s probably going to be six,” Adrien said, his head hanging.

“Six? Six years? But you’ll be back to visit right?” Marinette asked.

“Of course! When I’m not on location for a shoot...” he said trailing off.

“So, what you’re saying is after today I might not see you until I’m 24?” Marinette whispered, this was too much. She’d just lost Chat Noir and now she was going to lose Adrien too? Their friendship had had its ups and downs. It had also had more awkward phases than most friendships but they had formed a strong friendship through it all. Adrien smiled sadly and grabbed Marinette’s hand and squeezed.

“I’m positive we’ll see each other before I graduate! Besides, Alya and Nino are getting married, and you’re right I probably will be back every year,” Adrien said trying to sound cheerful. Marinette smiled weakly and nodded.

“But you should know they’re going to take forever to get married," Marinette said. Adrien laughed. 

"Do you ever feel like they both had the idea to just claim each other permanently?" Adrien asked laughing as they walked from exhibit to exhibit. Marinette laughed surprised to feel happy and nodded.

"Yes! I wasn't going to say anything but that was exactly what I thought!"

The two happily walked through the museum then visited some shops and landmarks with Nino and Alya. As evening came a sense of bittersweet descended upon them. This would be the last time the four of them could meet up together. At the end of the night they walked to the park next to Marinette's house to say their good-byes. Marinette hugged Adrien at the base of their famous statue, not that either of them knew the other's secret. 

"See you?" Marinette asked with a quiver in her voice. Adrien nodded and coughed before clearing his throat to speak to all his friends.

"I, um, I understand if you don't want to, or if you, you know-"

"Spit it out Sunshine!" Alya urged not unkindly. Adrien grinned guiltily at her.

"Will you come to the Airport?"

All the friends agreed as Alya, Nino, and Adrien hugged, Marinette looked up at the statue of her partner and felt tears fill her eyes once more until her eyes were drawn to his staff. Kim! Kim had a staff!

Adrien looked at Marinette with guilt seeing her obvious distress at the statue of him and Ladybug. Ladybug must have already told Marinette he had left.

"I have to go," Marinette said abruptly, "I will see you at the airport."

Nino and Alya look from Marinette to Adrien then back to one another in pity. Obviously Adrien leaving was too painful for Marinette to bear. 

“Have a good night,” Alya called after her.

Marinette couldn’t even hear her, she was running toward her house so she could transform without anyone seeing her. Once she was sure she was safe she transformed and headed to Kim’s house. When she got there she perched on a window sill and looked inside seeing him washing dishes she waited until she was sure he was alone then knocked. He looked around then opened the window.

“Ladybug? Is something wrong?” He asked, wiping his hands on a towel. Ladybug shook her head.

“I need Xuppu back, Roi Singe,” she said holding her hand out. Kim looked hurt but nodded and reached under his short sleeved shirt for the circlet that rested on his brow during his transformation but he wore as an arm cuff when he wasn’t transformed, and handed it to her. 

“Xuppu’s in my room though,” he said leading the way. Marinette was about to speak when Xuppu beat her to it as the door closed.

“What do you mean? Don’t I get a say? How many times have you needed me to save the day? I watched the news with his _Ma,_ your cat didn’t show! You needed us! You should have come for us!” Xuppu continued his rant as Ladybug cocked her hip and opened her yoyo pulling out a box and looking at Kim. He looked confused and looked at the still ranting Xuppu. Ladybug extended her hand. 

“Le Chien, Kim, former bearer of the monkey miraculous will you be my partner and be the bearer of the black cat miraculous and accept all the responsibilities that go with it?”

Xuppu finally was quiet, and zipped over to sit on Ladybug’s shoulder where he whispered, “is Plagg in there?” Leave it to Xuppu to ruin a moment.

Kim nodded and took the box and opened it. 

Plagg shot out looking around excited Adrien had come to his senses he was just about to yell, the kid’s name when he saw Ladybug and Xuppu, then he turned.

“Mermaid boy?” Kim’s look of awe disintegrated. Well, that was Plagg for you.

“Can I have Xuppu back?” Plagg’s chin dropped and Ladybug smiled and laughed a truly happy laugh.

“I think you two will be perfect for eachother.” 

“Hey! Wait, tell him about my dietary restrictions!” Plagg yelled, as Ladybug was putting Xuppu’s box in her yoyo. Ladybug cocked a brow.

“Restrictions?” Plagg smiled a toothy grin and Ladybug looked at Kim, “Chat Noir, Plagg eats Camembert but make sure he doesn’t eat too much, apparently he has restrictions.”

Plagg’s chin dropped for the second time in as many minutes. 

“There’s no need to be so mean… Ladybug!” He grumbled. She laughed.

“I’m just kidding, Plagg loves Camembert but I think you should have him try some of your mom’s dishes, have him try her _Chao._ I bet he’ll love it,” Ladybug said, unthinkingly. Kim tilted his head, how did she know about his mom’s cooking? A lot of the kids he’d grown up with had decided long ago, Ladybug, Roi Singe, and both the new and old bearer of the Dragon were some types of East Asian. He squinted at her but she turned away quickly. “Alright I’ll see you tomorrow at 1700 on the Arc de Triomphe for patrols, okay?”

“Suuure,” Kim said to the now empty room.


	2. Hide Away / Miss Rona's Come To Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> February through Spring of 2019 Adrien living in New York finds he cannot come home because Europe has been stricken by some terrible disease. Weeks later New York is just as bad. Kim and Marinette living in Paris are living in lock down but Chat Noir and Ladybug have new and unexpected responsibilities. The virus is also taking an emotional toll on the guardian.
> 
> Possible Trigger Warning. There isn't any death but if corona virus or covid 19 bother you  
> Skip the chapter, your mental and emotional health is important. I'll try to rpepeat the "Important information" in an author's note in the next chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a very dark chapter at times, I'm sorry for that but I write to make myself feel better, and this story is supposed to be "realistic" and if this couple is living now I'd say this would impact them, wouldn't you? I wrote it because my old next door neighbor died last month from complications due to Covid-19. She got it on Thanksgiving, when her entire HUGE family came over.  
> The family on the roof with Adrien is based on a real family. I went to high school with the mom. Her husband really does introduce himself to people like that, which I loved because I'm a mixed Muslim too. Her art gallery survived the pandemic, yay! As for the spelling, Ramazan Mubarek vs. Ramadan Mubarak. Countries from the Ottoman Empire tend to say and spell Ramadan Mubarak as "Ramazan Mubarek" so, it's correct.
> 
> Please enjoy this short foray into last year. I promise to put the next chapter up this week. The future is looking bright. 😊

Adrien sat in front of his computer watching the news live feed on YouTube. Some kind of pneumonia was affecting New York? Was it the same one as what he’d seen watching international news? 

His speakers chimed merrily and he answered seeing his father as he hadn’t seen him since 5 days after his mother’s disappearance. His face had stubble on it and his hair wasn’t styled at all. It looked… dirty? Gabriel didn’t greet his son or wait for Adrien to greet him as he normally did, instead he immediately began speaking as soon as Adrien had established a connection.

“Do _not_ try to come home. Do _not_ leave your apartment. That is an order! Do you understand?” His father said his voice raising incrementally with every word until he was nearly yelling. 

“Uh, yes?” Adrien said surprised, Gabriel _never_ acted like this, he was more the quiet threat type, what was the big deal? “Why?”

“Nathalie’s…” Gabriel sighed, “not well again,” he said running his fingers through his hair, ”I’ll probably get it too but her… recurrent bronchitis makes it particularly dangerous.” 

“Can I see her?” Adrien asked.

“She’s sleeping,” Gabriel replied with an air of exhaustion. “Guillaume is in the hospital. Nathalie and I have been watching news feeds from the US. It's much worse here and we fear it will become much worse there before things get better.”

“But they said it was nothing to worry about, there are screenings. The United Heroes are also helping,” Adrien notified his father, reminding him, unlike Paris, New York had the largest super hero presence in the world and some heroes were impervious to disease. Gabriel’s next words pulled him from his thoughts.

“They’re getting sick too, it’s on the news here. That fluffy cloud girl who plays with children, and that woman who dresses like a circus tent both have it. Iron Chain died yesterday from it. Adrien, I would bring you home if it weren’t worse here. I’m trusting you to stay safe,” Gabriel said sternly.

“I understand, I will,” Adrien said in shock, he didn’t actually know the three heroes but he was scared for the women and Iron Chain was one of the oldest heros in the US. He’d heard he’d died of a heart attack.

“I’ve already ordered you supplies. Use them,” Gabriel was saying.

“Wha-?” Adrien had been about to ask but his father’s call died a moment after he heard coughing through his father’s desk phone’s speaker.

He reached for his phone to call Marinette but he didn’t want to talk to her as Adrien. He needed the loving friendship she gave him as Chat Noir, not the hesitant fear filled friendship she had with Adrien. He hated how she seemed to constantly wait for him to betray her or hurt her in some way. Someday she’d believe in him the way she used to believe in Chat Noir. 

He looked around his apartment. So much for freedom. His father had finally let him be free and this time even he had to agree… unless this was some kind of trick!

Adrien leaned forward and rapidly typed searching the internet, shocked at what he was seeing, was happening in Europe. He swallowed, nope, this time his father had not been just trying to prevent him from going places. Something bad was happening in Europe and New York.

  
  


Over the following weeks New York turned into a desert. Only heroes walked the streets. Some wore capes and masks and others wore scrubs and masks but they all wore masks.

Guilliam recovered but only somewhat. Once Adrien had moved to New York he had stayed on as part of Agreste S.A.’s security training team but now his heart didn’t seem to be able to handle physical stress. Nathalie was trying to find a fit for him as a security coordinator.

Surprisingly, Natalie had bounced back rather well. It seemed like she had nearly no residual effect except getting worn down a little easier sometimes.

When Adrien had started classes in the fall he’d made friends with a girl he’d met years before, Aeon, and he’d been shocked to find she didn’t remember who he was. Not just who he’d been but she didn’t remember meeting him. Now she and her mother were somewhere between beloved and hated in New York because they were the leaders of the heroes who were impervious to the disease sweeping the city. While many saw them as saviors, others saw them as oppressors taking away their rights. But even Aeon’s mom who the city knew as Knight Owl, and sister were under quarantine. Except he knew her sister was also a miraculous holder wasn’t when she was transformed, she was helping too. He’d been watching the news, it looked like his old team had been safe from the disease so he hoped Eagle would be too. All he knew was it was it was nerve wracking watching everything happening outside his apartment windows unable to do anything. He’d talked to some of his friends from Paris and spent most of his time doing homework, exercising, and gaming. That was his favorite: he played with his friends from fencing, and Chinese classes, and his modeling friends as well as his favorite competitor Marinette. Unfortunately, she couldn’t play much because she had to help with the bakery, because bakeries were considered essential services and she said their shop was very busy.

Adrien stood in the kitchen leaning against the counter holding a bowl of cold overnight oatmeal and blueberries and chewed, feeling depression and loneliness clawing at his spine. His watch chimed 6:50 pm, he put down his oatmeal and rushed for his fire escape grabbing a pot and spoon on the way and ran up the rickety stairs. The racket had already begun, the cheers for the everyday heroes had begun. He waved across his roof to the family who lived downstairs. The mother waved back. She was tiny, but very loud and owned an art gallery. Her husband was a lawyer and when he’d first me him he’d said, “I’m half Muslim half Jewish, and was raised it too, welcome to New York”. Adrien had no idea what that had meant… for a week. This was the only place and time their two kids ever got to leave their apartment anymore. They were screaming and holding up a banner made on a sheet, dripping with glitter, (with their parents' help). In the other corner their other neighbor sat clapping sadly. She was dressed up with her blond hair in a french twist, and wearing a dress even though she couldn’t go anywhere. _Does she have a Zoom meeting?_ Adrien briefly wondered as he watched her wave across the way and smile. He marveled at how quiet New York was without it’s traffic… Except at 7pm. Now, people could communicate by yelling across their burroughs in some of the highrise buildings. The people on the other building shot off fireworks and yelled something. She shook her head and smiled then yelled back.

“Ramazan Mubarek!” and wiped a tear while smiling.

“Ramadan Mubarak!” The family who lived downstairs called out to her. She turned away from the building across the way and looked to the family who lived in her own building, and smiled.

“Ramazan Mubarek!” she said with more happiness.

“Ramadan Mubarak?” Adrien said, remembering Alix fasting over the years.

“Ramazan Mubarek, thank you,” she said

It was the moments like these that fueled him. 

The family from downstairs waved as they made their way down their steps.

He was left with his other neighbor who had turned back to the other buildings. The city was getting quieter except for the occasional firework. Which now that he understood why they were being shot off he thought they were a great idea. Everyone needed to celebrate a little more. These past few weeks had been horrible. It had to be ending soon.

  
  


“So Adrien was the old Chat Noir, huh?” Kim said, walking into the room with a towel on his head, to see Plagg in front of his television watching some celebrity show with Adrien and some superhero socialite walking and waving at some COVID-19 fundraiser in New York. Although how anyone could tell with their masks on, Kim hardly knew.

Plagg spun around quickly.

“What?”

“I said, ‘Adrien was the old Chat Noir, wasn’t he?’,” Kim asked with a lifted brow and a rakish grin. Plagg’s face puckered. Technically speaking there was no reason he couldn’t just say yes. 

“Why would you think that?” Plagg said, turning back to the tv, with a deceptive calm. Kim snorted and dried off and changed from his shower.

“Maybe because you never watch television except for cheese commercials,” he began ticking off reasons with his fingers, “Adrien never once was akumatized while Chat Noir was around. Alya used to have this theory that Adrien and Chat Noir looked a lot alike when we were kids then suddenly she stopped talking about it, my guess is, it was right about the same time she got her miraculous. No one can ever seem to find Adrien when Chat Noir is around. I could go on but, you already know everything. Oh! And Adrien has a crush on Ladybug and Marinette and so does Chat Noir, and they’re both unaware of it. I suppose they’re both stupid-”

“Yeah, alright, got it, you want confirmation on your little friend Adrien. But if I say, ‘yes, or no,’ it’s just going to lead you closer to figuring out who the old Chat Noir was,” Plagg said, not giving a reply.

“So,” Kim said running mousse through his black hair with red dyed tips looking in the mirror at Plagg, “basically what you’re saying is, ‘yes, Adrien was Chat Noir,’ but Tikki would kill you, if you told me?” Kim said the last turning to face his kwami and sliding his arm into a designer shirt.

Plagg’s lips flattened and he flew off to his favorite spot in the room and checked on his cheese.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. They’re hopeless,” Kim said pulling on a pair of tattered shorts. "And Tikki is actually the kwami of your destruction."

“You look like crap with those on,” Plagg grouched.

“It’s a Zoom call,” Kim laughed, logging in to call his girlfriend, “I only need to look good from here up,” he said gesturing to his midriff.

“Too bad for you.” Plagg said, and gestured to his face.

“Oh!” Kim laughed and picked up a dirty sock and threw it at the kwami.

“Ha! Nice try, you might think it’s a punishment, but I like them!” Plagg taunted.

“Sick!” Kim laughed.

“What is?” Ondine said, when she came online.

“Good luck loverboy, she can’t see or hear me!” Plagg said in front of the computer’s camera.

“How amazing you look!” Kim said even though he couldn't see the pretty redhead.

“Ugh, you make me sick,” Plagg said, and flew off.

  
  


Marinette transformed as she jumped through her opened window onto her bed. Schools had been canceled for months but she’d been stretched thin between baking bread at the bakery and helping out around the house. _And_ at hospitals, then there was helping first responders because they could get COVID but according to the kwamis they couldn’t. So they’d been helping find and deliver patients and even helping deliver groceries and medicines to those in need as Ladybug. She layed on her bed and sighed in exhaustion.

“I’m so tired, when will this end?” Marinette grumbled irritably then flipped over on her bed looking up at the sky through her window.

“People are a lot more advanced now, Marinette. I’m sure people will start washing hands and covering their faces and things will get better by summer, you’ll see,” Tikki said.

“Yeah,” Marinette said, lacking optimism, “I guess so,” she looked at the dark sky she couldn’t even remember if it was a new moon tonight.

“Trust me, Marinette, I’ve seen plagues, it’s going to be fine,” Tikki said sitting on the pillow next to the young woman’s head.

“Mmm,” Marinette made a thoughtful noise and turned her head away from her kwami and faced the wall, but not quickly enough. Tikki had seen the tear slide down into her hairline, but she also understood if Marinette was hiding her tears she shouldn’t say anything about them.

“You know I’ve always thought you were a great Ladybug, one of the best in fact, but as a Ladybug _and_ a guardian you’re _amazing_ ,” Tikki said. Marinette sniffed and laughed at the same time and rolled over wiping her eyes.

“Laying it on a bit thick aren’t you?” Marinette smiled. Tikki smiled back and snuggled into the affectionate head rub she was getting.

“Not really, you’re one of a kind, I think everyone in the world sees it but you,” Tikki said softly.

“Thank you, Tikki, you’re pretty amazing yourself,” Marinette said, sitting up and pushing her overhead window back open. Tikki looked up at the dark sky in surprise.

“Thank you. Aren’t you going to sleep?” Tikki asked, eyes filled with worry.

“Yeah. I just forgot something downstairs, why don’t you meet me up there?” Marinette said, walking down her steps toward the trap door to get some cookies and a bottle of water and a glass, not waiting for an answer.

“Okay,” Tikki replied to the empty room.

Marinette crossed her arms and cried quietly into them on the kitchen counter. This day had been particularly difficult but she had to be strong for the team.

“Marinette?” Sabine said, walking into the main room seeing her distraught daughter. “When did you get home?”

“Maman? We’re under quarantine, remember? I was in my room, I must have fallen asleep with my headphones on,” Marinette said the old lie. 

Sabine nodded, walked around Marinette, opened a drawer and pulled out a box filled with strawberry macarons. Then she opened the box in front of Marinette and set them down on the counter to make her wordless a point. Then without any explanation she simply reached up to wipe the tears from her daughter’s cheeks.

“You can’t save everyone, it’s not in your power, understand?” Sabine nodded. Stunned Marinette nodded.

“But- how did you- how long have you-” Marinette stuttered out

“I didn’t, your reaction confirmed it.” Sabine smiled sadly, “Go get some sleep, you don’t need to work in the bakery tomorrow, but you still need sleep,” she leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed her daughter’s cheek and went to her room with her own glass of water.

“Night,” Marinette said in a daze. She carried the box, glass and water up the steps. It wasn’t until she found her kwami sitting in the plants on the balcony that she finally realized, _how did Maman know what Tikki liked to eat?_

“Strawberry! My favorite!” Tikki squealed. Marinette’s eyes squinted at that, _Was it possible…? No! Not Maman, that would be outrageous…_

“Who was the last Ladybug?” Marinette asked so abruptly that Tikki began coughing.

“I uh, I can’t tell you that. She would have to volunteer the information to you. Sorry.” Tikki looked somewhere between guilty and relieved, then promptly stuffed half a macaron into her mouth.

“Hmph, figures,” Marinette said, pouring herself a glass of water she looked out over the city, her eyes pulled to the cathedral on the Île de la Cité, in the middle of the Seine. On a bright sunny day it still had a tendency to make her sad but on a night like tonight the scaffolding melted all around and clinging to Notre-Dame looked like some kind of monster’s skeltal fingers gripping the church in a macabre fist. She shivered, remembering the old illuminated bibles, medieval paintings, sketches and carvings she’d seen in some of her art classes. People had used images of skeletons, monsters and demons to personify plagues throughout history. Covid was certainly turning into a plague. 

“Tikki? When do you think things will be safer in New York?”

“I don’t know. It looks like they’re doing what we’re doing, so probably soon after us.”

“Good,” Marinette took a sip and looked up and down the river then in the direction the the Eiffel Tower, even though it was out of her view.

Tikki munched happily unaware of Marinette’s inner turmoil. 

“Do you think he’s okay?” Marinette whispered softly.

“Adrien? He’s fine you talked to Nino and Alya about him today, and you talked to him last w-” Tikki responded but was cut off.

“No, Chat, do you think, Chat Noir is okay, do you think…” Marinette swallowed, and tried again, “Do you think he’s still alive?” Marinette whispered her throat filled with emotions and unspoken words for a boy she never said things to before he left. Tikki flew to her quickly and rested her cheek on Marinette’s hand.

“I’m sure he’s fine. I’m sure of it,” Tikki watched as two huge tears tracked down Marinette’s cheeks as she nodded. 

Marinette didn't nod in belief but in hope, because that was all she had left.


	3. Summer Days - Martin Garrix (Feat: Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump & Macklemore)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As promised a happier chapter.   
> The end of summer has come in 2025 and Adrien has been home for a few months. He’s been spending time with his friends including Marinette since his return but he hasn't spent any time with her alone. Now he’s ready to ask her for a relationship without his mask or his friends around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised some happiness but first for those who skipped the last chapter due to the trigger warning.
> 
> Here’s some of the stuff you missed that might come up again (not sure but it might).  
> Adrien’s bodyguard and Nathalie got covid. Both recovered, his bodyguard will never be able to work a physically taxing job again so he will be security coordinator for the company. Based on Gabriel’s behavior when she was ill it was pretty obvious that he and Nathalie were more than co-workers. Kim thinks Adrien was the previous Chat Noir, but Plagg won’t confirm it. Sabine has figured out Marinette is Ladybug, and Marinette unwittingly confirmed it. Marinette thinks Sabine was the previous Ladybug but Tikki won’t say anything about it. Not all superheros are safe from disease but Miraculous bearers are impervious to diseases that would prevent them from completing their missions. Aeon didn’t remember Adrien. When she erased her memory of him being Chat Noir she erased him completely. When he met her at school she’d never met him before. Kim is dating Ondine still or again.

August 2025

The bell over the bakery’s door rang as the familiar young man walked through. He waved self consciously, he wasn’t sure why he felt awkward, he’d seen Marinette several times since he’d moved back from the US, hanging out with Alya and Nino or even the one time with his old band but somehow without their friends as a buffer even the busy bakery seemed intimate. Adrien stood in line uncomfortably aware no one had come in after him and the bakery was becoming more and more empty.

“Can I help you?” Came Tom’s jovial voice, when he stepped up to the counter. Adrien looked up, at 1m 94 (6’3”) tall he didn’t usually have to keep looking up but with Marinette’s father he did.

“Ah, uh, ah,” Adrien began.

Marinette glided between her father and the counter, “I’ll take care of him Papa, why don’t you finish what you were working on?”

Tom looked between his daughter and her old crush, “Uh-huh, thank you, Marinette, I’ll do that.”

Marinette blushed in a way she hadn’t in a while, then turned to Adrien after she thought it was under control. “How’re you today?”

“I’m good! I’d love some of your, er, your Pere’s coffee! And I’m still trying to figure out what would go with it,” he said biting his lip in a way that made Marinette want to help.

“Aaah, ha, the chausson aux pommes are really good today,” Marinette said, walking toward the case to gesture to the apple filled pastries.

“Yeah, okay, but just one,” he said looking longingly at the delicious treat. She smiled as she filled a cup from a pot in the back and began a box for him. Marinette smiled and nodded placing a golden confection in the box.

“Anything else?” She said.

“What do you recommend?” He barely heard her as she told him what their best sellers were, he was so focused on her voice. Its soft timbre and her clothes. Over the past six years he’d hardly made it home and on the three occasions he had, he'd only seen her once. He’d missed her. The thought jolted him, causing him to stop following her around the bakery as she pointed to the different items.

“Adrien?” Marinette said with worry. He recouped with a smile.

“Um, actually I just want to know, what’s your favorite?” he said, trying to recover.

“Oh, um,” she looked over her shoulder to the back of the bakery and whispered, “technically, pain aux raisins, but only when my maman makes it, otherwise chausson aux pommes this time of year.” Adrien smiled and leaned down.

“So who made the pain aux raisins today?” he whispered. Marinette grinned then wiggled her eyebrows.

“Maman.”

“I’ll take two…” he swallowed and seemed to want to say more as she smiled and placed two delicious slices of raisin bread in the box. “Marinette, when do you get off?”

“I’m just helping out, I can leave anytime today, especially since it’s empty. Did you want anything else? Some macarons for later?” she grinned. 

He swallowed, why was this so hard? American girls were all strangers and it was easier to ask them out. He shook his head and followed her to the register. He watched her finish his coffee putting exactly the right amount of creme and sugar in his coffee before putting a lid on it. How did she just know how to make it? He hadn’t told her, it was even the right size. She just looked so good, it wasn’t just that she was beautiful -she was- it was that she cared. She wanted to look nice, there was something ethereal and feminine about her, he just couldn’t put his finger on it but- suddenly he was looking at the top of a recycled cup.

“Huh?” he said. Marinette tilted her head to the side and smiled her eyes crinkling with mirth.

“I said, 3 Euros, No, charge for the coffee since it’s just ours, we don’t actually sell coffee anymore, and-,”

“Doyouwanttogototheparkwithme?!” Adrien blurted out interrupting her before she could finish. Marinette looked confused.

"Huh?" she replied, he couldn't have actually said what she thought he'd said. 

Adrien's heart fell, there it was, that look, the one that said she didn't trust him, she was waiting for him to put gum on her chair still. But then she smiled so he took a chance, maybe she really hadn't heard him. He took a breath and ran his fingers through his hair catching his hand at the base of his skull and tried again.

"If you're free, would you like to join me, at the park?" He gave her a lopsided smile that made her heart flip. He whispered conspiratorially, "I have pain aux raisins, made by the famed Sabine Cheng and a little bird told me they’re your favorite," he said jiggling the box. Marinette laughed and nodded not really believing this was happening.

“Oh, okay,” she said smiling then looked down seeing the apron tied around her she pulled it off and walked toward the back, “I’ll be right back, I have to go up for some things.” Adrien nodded and waited for her to come back from behind the counter then walk up the stairs to her apartment.

“You coming?”

“Oh! Uh, sure!” He said, running up the steps behind her. When he got there the apartment door was open and he saw Sabine asleep on the sofa. Suddenly Marinette reappeared in a lightweight knee length A line pink jacket, with a gold chained pink metallic envelope bag, and black and pink kitten heels in her hand.

“Ready!” She said in a hushed tone pointing to the door her finger in front of her lips then she pointed to her mother and closed the door behind her as they left. 

  
  


Adrien pointed to a bench in front of the Ladybug and Chat Noir statue and they sat. Marinette opened the box and ripped some of the sweet bread off and handed it to him.

“Taste it. I promise it’s good.”

Adrien who’d been about to take a sip of coffee turned and took the bite from her fingers letting his lower lip brush her thumb tasting the bitter sanitizer he smiled, and chewed.

“Sorry, this is very good,” he said with surprise. Marinette nodded nearly incoherent for a moment, dazed by the touch of his lips to her digit.

“She does something different, I know it, but I’ve never actually caught her,” she said, tearing off a bite and popping it into her own mouth. Adrien reached into the open box and pulled the second slice out and they nibbled even secretly sharing bits with the pigeons, even though they both knew it was against the law. 

“Remember when we were kids? That guy who kept getting Akumatized, I knew him,” Adrien said. 

“Oh? Really?” Marinette said, surprised, any other humans knew him other than other miraculous holders.

“Yeah, he’s actually a really caring man, his name is M. Ramier, I was on location of a shoot one of the times he was turned. He really just wanted pigeons to be treated fairly, instead of being treated like vermin. I kind of feel bad for him,” he said tossing a few crumbs forward causing pigeons to gather around them. Marinette nodded.

“That does sound sweet-”

“Achoo!” Adrien sneezed, “Ach-Achoo, Achoo!” he looked for anything to wipe his nose and save himself from embarrassment. He was just about to use the little napkin in the bag when Marinette handed him a delicate silk handkerchief that had obviously been intended for show, in her blouse’s pocket.

“Ah-i-it-it hasn’t been used,” she managed to say. Adrien gratefully took it with a nod and wiped his eyes then his nose.

“Thank you. I take it back, I forgot how allergic to birds I am, M. Ramier is nice but the birds are vermin,” Adrien said stuffily but obviously joking.

“Oh! Oh, my gosh! So did I!” Marinette said, surprised to realize she’d forgotten about his allergy too.

“Thanks for,” Adrien held up the silk square, “I’ll wash it and get it back to you.”

“Thanks,” she said.

Adrien decided to try his luck for a second date.

“Um, maybe Thursday?”

“I’d like that,” Marinette said, smiling.

  
  


“Looks good!” Ladybug said, offering her elbow for him to knock with his. Ever since COVID-19 had raged across the world that had been her and the black haired Chat Noir's gesture of accomplishment and it had become their permanent gesture. The seriousness of the virus and his role of Chat Noir also changed Kim to the point people hadn't recognized him as the fun guy Roi Singe.

“Nope,” Chat Noir said, refusing the gesture, sitting on the edge of the roof instead. It had been a week since Marinette had started dating Adrien and he wanted to hear some of the details.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, I heard that this girl from the origin class is seeing Adrien Agreste.”

Ladybug gave him her best, dirty look, she knew he knew who she was. While they’d never come out and directly said anything specifically there had been plenty of round about allusions to Marinette as Ladybug and Ladybug as Marinette over the years. After all Kim only knew two blue eyed East Asian girls, Marinette and some girl who he’d only seen at a few functions and only Marinette had had his mother’s _Chao_ , it hadn’t taken much detective work to figure out who Ladybug was.

“Oh?” she said.

“Yeah, I just thought it would be nice to talk about it, you know, since you helped that class so much,” he emphasized. “I have to say, I approve.” 

Ladybug’s irritation rose.

“Well I’m sure she would be ever so glad to know she has Chat Noir’s approval.”

Chat Noir burst into loud laughter.

“I meant for Adrien, not Marinette.”

Ladybug’s chin dropped and she crossed her arms and cocked her hip. 

“Glad to see she was good enough for the illustrious Adrien Agreste,” Ladybug said dryly. 

"Oh, come on Ladybug, you know that's not what I mean. It's just, they both have liked each other for a long time. I'm glad they got together. 

Ladybug straightened in surprise.

“He, er, they did?”

Chat Noir smiled and nodded, extending his staff and leaning forward to leave.

“Yeah, they did,” he said, then disappeared.

“Ugh, those stupid cats!” Ladybug ground out between her teeth.

  
  


Sitting in her living room working at her drafts table on her submissions for work she heard a knock and was about to get up when she saw her mother open the door.

“Hello Auntie,” Kim said, holding out a full bag.

“Kim! How are you?” Sabine said moving out of the way to let the boy in.

“I’m good, Ma sent over some stuff she thought you might like. Sorry, I’m not quite sure what’s in there, I think maybe sweet potato and maybe her banh tom? From the smell of the spices?”

“Mmm, well tell her I said thank you. Is she preparing for a party?”

“Uh, no, I was coming over to talk to Marinette and she just wanted to send some extras over, she thought you’d enjoy?” Kim said not quite sure if his mom would be happy with how he’d answered Sabine.

“That was very thoughtful of her,” Sabine said shuffling through her cupboards for dishes to fill with rice, broccoli, and slices of mango for Mme. Le Chien.

Marinette looked at Kim then pointedly up at the door to her bedroom.

“Maman, we’re going to go upstairs and outside, okay?”

“That’s fine honey,” Sabine said, pretending she had no idea what was happening.

Once Kim squeezed through Marinette’s tiny skylight behind her she turned to him to see what he wanted to talk about.

“Well, first, congratulations I hear you and Adrien finally got together,” he said dryly.

Marinette crossed her arms over her chest.

“Yes, thank you, will that be all?”

Kim laughed and waved his hand, rolling his eyes. 

“Seriously? Some of us have been waiting ten years for you two to get together, you could be nicer. I mean some of us had to suffer listening to both sides of it.”

The entire idea that Adrien had liked her was completely unfathomable still, and even though they both knew they knew each other's identities they never spoke of it. “Huh?”

Kim smiled, “Yeah, okay. Let’s just say Nino and Alya have been celebrating a lot this week.”

“Whatever,” Marinette said under her breath. 

“Okay, I only came to torture you a little bit. I actually have some exciting news. And a favor, kind of, more like I want to hire you -if you’re not too busy,” Kim said with excitement.

“Sure, what’s going on?” Marinette said dusting off her bistro chairs for Kim to have a seat

Suddenly Kim looked nervous.

“Uh, maybe I should have said something before now.”

“About what?” Marinette asked, truly confused.

“Last year Ondine made the Olympic team waitlist and as you know after the games a few of the swimmers retired and now she’s being coached by M. Martin,” Kim began and Marinette nodded following along. “Well, today he came to see me swim, he’d been planning on it for months but today was the day he made time. Anyway, I didn’t realize it was actually an audition. Marinette, he’s going to coach me!”

“That’s amazing! Congratulations! Wow! That’s,” Marinette shot up and hugged the boy who’d been like a big, (more like huge) cousin to her since she had been little, “great news! What do you need from me?”

Kim laughed hugging the tiny mass of woman finding it hard to believe she was his larger than life partner who sometime hefted him over her shoulder in zipping them out of a fight, even though she was tiny then too, and pulled away then patted her on the head in a way he knew she hated so he only did it when they were alone.

“Um, I’m not part of any team so I was hoping you would design and make me some suits and cover ups-”

“And towels, maybe, shorts, shirts, swim shirts, what do you call those, rash guards? How ab-”

“Woah, Mar, just suits, a couple robes and and a couple cover ups will be fine, a couple towels would be cool, swim shirts wouldn’t make sense,” Kim said, knowing she had a tendency to over work herself, and she did not have enough time to create the wardrobe she was dreaming up and he currently didn’t have the funds while they were being invested in a project with Max.

“Oh,” she said, disappointed and he felt bad.

“Unless you really want to practice on that material or something, but I won’t need it, maybe for work, then I could be your model or something,” he offered.

“Oh, sure,” she said then thought of something important. “Are you going to have to move?”

“No, Ondine only moved when she was training for the olympics, she’s back too now,” he reassured her. Marinette nodded.

“You know Maman would miss you if you moved,” she reassured him that was the only reason she had asked.

“Yeah, I know,” he rolled his eyes. “Well, I should go,” he said, walking to her window.

“Oh, no you don’t! I still have to measure you!” Marinette said, grabbing his arm and roughly pulling him back toward her pulling a tape measure out of nowhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looking for a beta reader who edits. If you're interested reply in the comments.


	4. Snowfall - Ingrid Michaelson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the day before Armistice Day (Veteran’s Day) and an early snow storm has descended on the City of Lights. On his way to the train station with Marinette after picking her up from work, Adrien learns something interesting that nearly everyone in Paris has known for years…..except for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very special thank you to my beta reader and editor @Backyardbob01 any mistakes are mine because I added more after editing. Also, thank yous to @Hanaasbananas @KeysiShepert @KumaJeanne I can’t say enough how much you guys help me. Also check out their stuff, it’s really good, I promise.

2025 November 10 … Dating for 3 months

“Knock, knock,” Adrien said, standing in the open doorway to the design studio filled with vacant drafting tables, except for one where a brunette sat hunched over, sketching rapidly.

“Hm?” Marinette said, looking up in surprise to see the room empty. She pulled an ear bud from her ear, “Wow, is it that late?” Adrien shook his head smiling as he walked over and pressed a lingering kiss to her brow.

“No, everyone just left because of the holiday.”

“I forgot all about that! I just wanted to finish this up!” Marinette said. 

Adrien moved behind her to take a look for himself.

“Looks good, maybe we’ll be selling it next summer in our boutiques.”

“Yeah, right.” Marinette scoffed as she pulled her design from the clip and put it in her portfolio.

“Hey? What’s wrong, you know it’s good,” Adrien said, taking the portfolio from her as she gathered her purse and cup. 

“It’s not like design school," Marinette sighed, "Everyone here is good, otherwise your father never would have hired them. And Mme. DuBois is very exacting and she keeps yelling at me about ‘finding my voice’. What voice?! I like a lot of things, is that so wrong?!” 

Adrien sighed, knowing that Mme. DuBois seemed coarse to those under her supervision, but was very good at helping young designers find their “Voice” as she put it.

“It’s okay, let’s get out of here. You should wear your coat though, it’s snowing.”

“What?” Marinette exclaimed irritably, “Ladybug would not approve!” All Parisiens knew Ladybug’s dislike of cold weather from her interviews. She put her travel mug down to wrap her scarf around her neck, shove her hands in her coat sleeves and button up. 

“I’ll make sure to apologize to her the next time I see her,” Adrien laughed, watching her fuss over her outerwear, knowing how much she hated the cold herself. Probably not as much as Ladybug, but it was close. Not that Marinette would know, he mused. He remembered as a teen finding the tough heroine clinging to a hotel’s industrial dryer vent in order to keep warm one winter. It was true, Ladybug had truly  _ hated _ the cold. 

Marinette pushed her hands into her pockets as they walked through the building only to find scraps of fabric and receipts, but no gloves. 

“No gloves?” Adrien asked, knowing her only too well. He took her mug in one of his gloved hands while slinging her pink portfolio across his chest. Once he was sure her portfolio was secure, he took her hand in his. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you warm.”

“Thank you,” Marinette blushed. They’d been seeing each other for three months, but he still had the uncanny ability to make her feel like she was 15 with the world’s biggest crush on ‘ _ Teen Sensation, Adrien Agreste! _ ’, rather than, sometimes, a model but more and more often 'business guy Adrien'. Or simply 'M. Agreste', as she tried valiantly to call him at work, even though it was abundantly clear to everyone around them that they were dating, a fact which bothered no one.

“Do you want to walk, or take the train?” he asked.

“If you don’t mind, I’d rather walk. It’s really beautiful, and oddly quiet.”

“Yeah, me too,” he said, looking at the skyline remembering his teenage years when he would sit on a roof and enjoy the scene from above. He pulled Marinette closer when he heard her teeth chattering, and not for the first time in the last three months marveled at how perfectly her body molded itself to his. He could hear music drifting out from warm cafes that lined the sidewalks, the growls and barks from dogs they passed hurrying home to warm their paws, the typical background noise of a Parisian evening. But there a hush settled over the city, as people watched the lovely display of snow so early in the year.

“Oh, wow, it’s really coming down, isn’t it?” Marinette said, pulling Adrien from his reverie. Paris was quickly becoming covered in a thick white blanket, faster than the roads could be kept clear. He looked down seeing her dark blue-black hair covered in cotton ball sized snowflakes.  _ A crown for my Princess, he thought with a soft smile _ . Then he looked down at her shoes, which were not at all suited for walking in the deepening snow. Her feet must be freezing! The short kitten heels, while close-toed, left the tops and sides of her feet bare, and snow was covering them as they walked.

He looked at the street signs.

“Come on Princess, let’s take the train,” he said, pulling her toward the tunnel entrance, unaware she wasn’t following, frozen at the top of the stairs. Oblivious she’d let go at the top of the stairs. He was halfway down when looked back up, seeing her head cocked to the side, frowning at him, “Marinette?”

“What did you call me?”

_ What did I just call her? Oh, Shit! _ he thought,  _ You called her ‘Princess’, Genius!, _ he thought in a voice that sounded suspiciously like Plagg’s. His own voice responded to Plagg’s in his mind,  _ It’s fine, I’ll think of something…  _ _ Quick! _ _ she looks mad! _

“Princess, you know... You look like a princess, with all the snow in your hair, like a crown?''  _ Why _ _ did you make it a question, Adrien?! _ He heard in Nathalie’s voice.  _ Why is everyone harassing me in  _ _ my _ _ mind right now!?  _ He thought in a panic,hoping his internal diatribe didn’t show on his face. Thank God for years of modeling and the ability to keep a smile on his face while he was rapidly losing his mind, “Is there something wrong?” he said, swallowing behind his coat’s buttoned collar.

“Someone I knew a long time ago used to call me that,” she said with a sad smile, luckily not noticing his panic as she carefully stepped down to him.. 

“Well you  _ are _ a princess, Marinette,  _ my _ princess,” Adrien said with relief,knowing  _ exactly _ who used to call her that. He leaned down to kiss her, but she shook her head gently.

“I’d really rather you didn’t call me that,” she said in a tone that brooked no argument. 

“Sure,” Adrien said, swallowing again, then leaning over to brush the snow off of her head and shoulders. In a fit of nerves he found himself blurting out, “So, was it someone I know?” before his brain could stop his mouth.

“No, I don’t think so,” Marinette said, blushing as she shook her head while they continued down the stairs together.

“It’s a secret?”  _ Why are you still talking about it?!? Let it go! _ He told himself.

Marinette shook her head as they reached the bottom and walked toward the platform for the train both physically and emotionally pulling away from the conversation.

“Um, not really, but I guess I never told anyone before.”

Adrien looked down with a carefully neutral expression, “Now?”

“When we were kids, I helped Chat Noir a couple times, and I guess he liked giving nicknames or something and for some reason that was mine.”

“Oh, so you’re a  _ Kitty  _ Princess?”  _ Dude……Why?! _ he heard Nino’s voice yell into the depths of his mind.

Marinette turned fuchsia, “What?! No!” she nearly screamed.

Adrien leaned forward, his forehead touching hers, a wicked gleam in his eye.He’d been about to ask her out, all those years ago, if he hadn’t been accepted to his first choice school anyway, “Were you secretly… dating?” 

At first, he’d been joking but her look of horror told him maybe she had dated his replacement. Suddenly, his teasing didn’t seem as funny, especially if he’d inadvertently laid the groundwork for some punk to-

Marinette’s breath caught on the word secret, and she let out a gasping laugh on the word dating, “What? No.  _ No! _ Chat Noir? No. That Silly Kitty… No, we did  _ not _ date,” she said firmly.

Adrien laughed in relief, but was taken aback by that. There was something awkward about Marinette calling Chat Noir, “Silly Kitty”, it just didn’t seem right. Either way, her firm denial hurt. What did Ladybug and Marinette have against him? He’d thought at least Marinette had liked him, but maybe he’d been wrong the whole time. Apparently, he really had needed the time away to grow up. He looked up as the train arrived, realizing Marinette was talking to him.

“...-sides I liked someone else,” Marinette had continued as his mind had wandered. She fingered the buttons of his coat, pulling him onto the train behind her.

Adrien looked down at her fingers, entwined in the fabric of his coat, and smiled.  _ Well, at least Marinette likes me now _ , he thought wryly.

"Oh? And who would that have been?" He said with a teasing smile, as he followed her into the train.

"Hush, you!" Marinette giggled and rested her head on his shoulder as the train started to move again.

Adrien looked down at the head on his shoulder, shocked into silence.  _ Me? It was me?! Is that what Alya and Nino… And Juleka, Rose, Myle-  _ he inwardly groaned,  _ everyone _ had been trying to tell him for  _ years? _

He leaned over and kissed the top of her head, realizing just how lucky he was to be with this amazing woman.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been trying to update every week like a good writer but the next update will probably not be for two weeks. Just a heads up. Don't forget to comment, and bookmark for updates for when I post the next chapter! 
> 
> Happy Readings.


	5. This Is Our Home - A-Ha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien notifies Gabriel he is going to move out then goes house hunting with Nino for his new house. Later Alya helps Marinette pack while urging her to make sure she's making the best decisions for herself. Along with an interruption from Kim. Who is worried about if Marinette will be able to hide her double life from Adrien.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very special thank you to my beta reader and editor [Backyardbob01](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Backyardbob01/profile) any mistakes are mine from adding more after editing. Also, thank you to beta reader [KeysiShepert](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeysiShepert/works) and my culture expert [KumaJeanne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KumaJeanne/works). Please check out their stories, they’re really good, I promise.
> 
> Chapter Song: [This Is Our Home - A-Ha](https://youtu.be/J7fpCPU2_uE)

2026, December

“And your father’s really cool with you moving out?” Nino said walking around the studio in the second arrondissement.

“Yeah?” Adrien looked at Nino then remembered the discussion and his father’s list of requirements that started with three and had expanded to 15. 

Three weeks ago he’d scheduled an appointment with Nathalie so his father could not get out of it, and walked through the atelier doors at his scheduled time.

_“Adrien, I have an appointment,” Gabriel said, holding his finger up before Adrien even had a moment to say anything. “Nathalie, who’s my 11:30?”_

_“Adrien Agreste,” Nathalie said smiling at Adrien._

_Adrien had come prepared too. Everytime he did this his father seemed irritated but knew Adrien meant business._

_“What is this regarding? Couldn’t it be discussed over dinner?”_

_“No, this needs to be discussed here,” Adrien said, pulling out his tablet and opening his binder software starting with the maps. “I’m ready to move out.” Gabriel looked at his son from head to toe as if re-assessing his age, then suddenly feeling his own age, he reached back for his chair and settled into it._

_“Go on,” he said, after looking over Adrien’s head to Nathalie’s nodding head._

_“These are the locations of some of the properties that I think will suit me the bes-”_

_“Based on what criteria?” Gabriel interrupted._

_“I’ve noted the most important qualities for my home here,” Adrien said, flicking his fingers across his tablet, then offering it across the modern stone desk._

_“Mmm... impressive… yes… very important… yes,” Gabriel looked up sharply, “Why do you need such a high speed internet service?”_

_Adrien fought the rush of heat coming to his face, if his father knew he needed high speed internet for online gaming, it would get crossed off._

_“International video conference calls,” Nathalie called across the room. “He handles client calls between the US, China, France and sometimes even Japan. He’ll need those speeds to ensure a stable call.”_

_Gabriel grunted in aquesence and continued to read through Adrien’s notes._

_Adrien turned to see Nathalie behind her desk watching them, grinning back not even pretending to continue with her work. When he turned back to his father, he found his tablet in front of him._

_“I’ll call the realtor we use for the brand,” Gabriel said looking at Nathalie. “Will Mme. DuPain-Cheng be moving in with you?”_

_Adrien_ tried _not to swallow visibly, but this was a sensitive topic. His goal was for Mari move in with him, but he hadn’t even asked her yet, so technically the answer wa-_

_“Adrien?”_

_“I haven’t asked her yet,” Adrien replied diplomatically, mentally patting himself on the back. Gabriel stood back up and nodded._

_“If she will be moving in with you, she will need a room of her own to serve as an office, and even better if she has the space to create. It doesn’t need to be this large. Half this room’s size should suffice,” Gabriel looked over Adrien’s head to see a red and black blur as Nathalie violently shook her head and_ frantically _brought her open hands together making a gesture for ‘smaller!!’_

 _Meanwhile, Adrien nearly had a heart attack imagining how large an apartment he would need to_ accommodate _such a huge space. How would he afford a house with a single room that lar- suddenly his musings were interrupted by his father’s voice._

 _“Or perhaps a quarter? Yes, a quarter the size of this room should do nicely. The future head designer of_ Gabriel _needs space to let her talent thrive. You will also need a separate office for yourself for conference calls. I expect you to be able to commute to the office in 30 minutes, it-”_

_“Thirty minutes! I’ll never find any place that large within a 30 minute walk!”_

_“You don’t have to walk, you can take the Metro. Or you can take a car, you_ do _have one,” Gabriel said. “As I was saying, it would be nice if you would be nearby._

_“I’ll try,” Adrien said, with no intention of putting it on his list. “I have already found some realtors, they’re very highly qualified.”_

_“It would be best if we-”_

_“Congratulations, Adrien! When are you going to start looking?” Nathalie interrupted._

_Gabriel was fully aware of his wife's intentions but he'd always trusted her judgment and knew if she thought Adrien was prepared he was._

_“Ah… Tomorrow?” Adrien looked at his father who just nodded._

_When he’d come home from university, he’d seen his father and Nathalie’s relationship had shifted, and he had been glad for them. But on days like today, he was even happier for himself._

Of course Pere was okay with him moving out. He’d lived an ocean away for six years. “Except this place doesn’t meet his specifications, or mine,” Adrien said looking at the realtor seriously. His whole life he’d had problems with people thinking they could underestimate him based on his looks.

The woman smiled cooly and gestured to the open space, saying, “It would be _‘Sublime’_ for hosting parties.”

“I’m very private, and _if_ I host a party, it will be at the _Gabriel_ headquarters, or at a hotel. Are there any other locations available to see today?” Adrien replied, looking at his watch and feigning boredom.

Nino watched the exchange, suppressing his mild surprise at Adrien’s uncharacteristicly cold attitude. He had seen this side of Adrien before, but what he found remarkable was how easily Adrien’s entire personality changed, as if a switch had been flipped somewhere. He saw it every time he modeled, how he could change himself as if he were an emotional chameleon: shy, sexy, angry, aloof, enamored, etc. But it always stunned him when he saw it happen in real life.

“Yes, there’s a townhouse in Marais,” the realtor said with disinterest.

“That’s by us!” Nino said, “That’s where we grew up!” 

Adrien surreptitiously shot a look at his best friend, to mentally communicate, _Dude_ , _shut up!_

Unfortunately, Nino’s ESP was not working properly today, so he continued giving the snide realtor too much information . 

“The townhouse is in Place de Vosges, very historical-” The realtor brightened.

 _Meaning it’s falling apart but I’ll have to spend a small fortune and follow extremely restrictive code requirements to bring it to a livable condition,_ Adrien translated mentally.

“It’s one of the smaller units bu-”

_It’s smaller than my current bathroom (though, in fairness, so were most apartments in Paris)_

“-elow are both available for lease too and if you make a generous offer, the owners may be willing to sell.”

 _Hmm, that’s not bad,_ Adrien thought.

“Dude! Marinette’s parents will be your neighbors!” The realtor spared an impolite glance at Nino, which he ignored. Adrien, however, wasn’t as forgiving as his best friend, when she regarded Nino with thinly disguised disgust. As if she had stepped in gum wearing her favorite heels. She turned back to Adrien and began speaking. “The famous patisserie, _Tom and Sabine’s_ , is at the end of the row.” 

By this point, Adrien had had it with the realtor’s wretched attitude toward his friend. He nodded and smirked cooly , then clarified for her.

“That’s what he just said. My girlfriend’s parents Tom _DuPain_ and Sabine _Cheng_ , would be our neighbors. I appreciate your time, but I think we’ll be working with a different realtor going forward.” Adrien turned to Nino with a raised eyebrow, “Dude?” Nino looked at the woman’s shocked face, grinned at Adrien and nodded.

“Solidarity, bro” Nino said, and they walked out of the apartment to find a different realtor.

  
  
  


🐞 🐞 🐞 🐞 🐞 🐞 🐞 🐞 🐞 🐞 🐞 🐞 🐞

2026, July

Nino handed a box up to Adrien, “Why didn’t you hire a moving company again?” 

“Come on man, it’s only a few boxes, and I _did_ hire a company for the big stuff., Besides, there’s pizza and beer!”

“Oh? Well, why didn’t you say? What kind of beer?” Nino replied cheekily.

“Only the worst for you my friend,” Adrien said, hefting a box up and walking up the stairs to his recently renovated townhouse.

“Yeah, I bet,” Nino grumbled, grabbing another box out of the Tesla’s front trunk, then running up the stairs to catch up with Adrien. “I can’t believe your dad got this all done so quickly.”

“Yeah, well, he had the design and construction teams that remodel the brand’s retail spaces do it,” Adrien said, looking at the labels on the boxes and putting them in front of doors and at the base of the stairs leading to the top floor, where Marinette’s atelier and their bedroom was. “And he already had Mayor Bourgeois to help…. _expedite_...things at City Hall so it was just a matter of doing the work, and surprisingly there were no restrictions on the design to maintain the historical aesthetic of the building.”

“Yeah, the closet is pretty cool. Too bad Alya gets to see it, I won’t ever hear the end of it.”

“I didn’t design it,” Adrien grinned.

“Marinette?”

“Pere. He said it will ‘utilize the most space without taking up very much of it’,” Adrien quoted, then laughed, “I just like the lights.”

“I like the spinning headphone holders.”

“It’s a tie rack, Dude”

“For you maybe,” Nino lifted a brow.

Adrien shook his head and ran down the stairs back out to his car for another box.

“I can’t believe you two are moving in together!” Alya said, torn between excitement, jealousy, and worry.

Marinette looked around her bedroom with a scowl. There was so much _stuff_ ! Sure she was only moving a few doors down from the patisserie, but she still had to pack everything, move it to the new house, and then unpack it. It just seemed like a lot of unnecessary work. Not for the first time she regretted giving people their miraculouses permanently. If she still had Kaalki, she could just open a portal and push her stuff from here to her new house. Of course, then she’d have to explain to Adrien how her things magically appeared, and to her parents why they didn’t see anything coming down the stairs… _Sometimes secretly being a superheroine isn’t any help at all,_ she thought looking around.

“Neither can I,” she said, feeling elated at the prospect of living with her boyfriend, while still frowning at all the work to be done before she could enjoy it.

Alya saw the look on Marinette’s face and crossed her arms with a frown, misinterpreting her friend’s expression.

“Are you okay? You don’t _have_ to move in with Adrien just because he’s moving out of his Father’s mansion, you know,” Alya said, discreetly reaching into her orange silk blouse, clasping her Kwagatama and twisting it. “He’s my friend too, but you’re my best friend. I know you love him, but you need to ask yourself if this is the best decision for Marinette?”

“Why are you engaged to Nino, Alya?” Marinette asked bluntly, changing the focus of the conversation so quickly that Alya was momentarily taken aback.

“Because I want to spend the rest of my life with Nino,” Alya slowly replied. Marinette shook her head.

“Then why haven’t you guys gotten married yet? Or just move in together?” Marinette asked, walking over to her computer to disconnect the cables and begin the process of packing, figuring the desk was as good a place as any to start.

“Money… Well, Nino and money, I guess,” Alya said.

“What? I understand the money part, but what does Nino have to do with why you haven’t gotten married yet?” Marinette said in surprise.

“I would have gotten married when we were 19, but Nino never would have gotten married without Adrien there, and he wants a _big_ wedding. Have you ever _seen_ a Moroccan wedding?” As she spoke Alya’s bejeweled nails clicked quickly across her phone’s glass screen, until she accessed a video.

Marinette watched a beaming bride sitting in a basket with a roof bedecked with flowers and lights, even curtains, carried by 8 men being ushered into a room filled with happy people.

“Is that a _palanquin_?” Marinette asked in awe.

“Shh, it’s not even close to over,” Alya said nodding her reply. Marinette watched as there was a ceremony then the bride was wearing something different and the bride _and_ the groom were in _different_ open style palanquin baskets being carried by six men each.

“Oh, my, wow, yeah, and drummers? Is that a lute?” Marinette looked closely at the screen.

“I don’t know what it is, all I know is it’s expensive, and I have no idea how he plans on having _that_ in Paris. But he does, and his parents and grandmother aren’t really keen on his girlfriend and him living together without God’s permission. You know they’re old school Catholic,” Alya said, taking her phone back, mildly disgruntled.

“Oh,” Marinette said.

“Why do you ask?”

“I guess, we’ve never talked about why you two have had such a long engagement,” Marinette said.

“I’m less interested in me and more interested in you. What’s the rush? You two haven’t even been dating a year, that’s really soon to mo-” Suddenly the trap door erupted open with a crash and Kim’s head popped through.

“Marinette?! Oh, hey Alya,” Kim said.

“Yeah?”

“Hey,” the two said at the same time.

“Are you moving in with Adrien?”

Alya turned to Marinette and lifted an eyebrow in a distinct _told you so_ way.

“You tell her, Big Brother!” Alya told Kim.

“He’s not my brother,” Marinette grumbled.

“Uh? What? Adrien’s great…” feeling on the spot Kim had no idea what Alya expected him to say about moving in together. Ondine and he had broken up for four years and been together again two before they even talked about moving in together.

Alya gave Kim a slight shake of her head.

“Uh, no? He’s not great? I mean, he’s not in a great place to be moving in with, right now. It’s the first time he’s moving out on his own.”

“What are you talking about Kim? He lived in the US for six years by himself, I’m pretty sure he knows how to live alone. I’m the one who doesn’t know how to live alone,” Marinette argued, _stupid cat_ she thought.

Kim needed to talk to her, alone. _What about transforming? What about hiding the Miracle Box? What about all of your guardian duties? Dumb bug_ he thought.

“Have you been to the apartment? Will you have privacy? Everyone needs privacy Marinette, what if you have a fight. A bathroom isn’t enough. You need a place where you can go and lock the door that has fresh air.

Suddenly it dawned on Marinette what he was really saying,and she nodded. 

“I’ll have an office and sewing room. M. Agreste told Adrien he wasn’t allowed to ask me to move in if I wasn’t ‘adequately provided for’,” she said rolling her eyes, not catching how Kim and Alya were looking at each other in disbelief. Gabriel already treated Marinette like a daughter. Which, based on how he treated Adrien, wasn’t necessarily a good thing. But when it came to helpful things, it was always good. Except, as usual, Marinette didn’t seem to realize how crazy it was that her boyfriend was expected to provide an additional _room_ of space per his father’s demands, in a city where even studio apartments were so expensive people had to live outside the city or have roommates. 

Kim seemed to relax with her answer.

“Will that work for fights?” Marinette asked.

“I would think it would be perfect. I mean you can sew, turn on some music, open a window, Is there a balcony?” he asked, filled with hope.

“No but the windows are big enough they could be doors,” Marinette smiled knowing what he was really asking. “There is also plenty of storage for all of my fabric in my sewing room. Now if that will be all…?” she gestured to the hole in her floor.

“Yeah, you know I worry about you. If you need help packing, you know, I can help you right?” he offered as an afterthought already walking down the steps hoping she wouldn’t take him up on it.

Alya’s mouth dropped open, where was her help!

“Thanks for the concern, I think I’ll be fine,” Marinette said dryly as she rolled her eyes.

“Okay!” Kim said and disappeared leaving her trap door open yelling, “Bye Auntie, See ya Uncle,” and the door slammed while Tom and Sabine responded with exhausted, “Bye Kim,”s.

“It’s weird how no one realized how close you two are,” Alya said.

“We aren’t close,” Marinette said absently, finding a pastry box and putting cables in it, then holding it up to Alya, “do you think this will work?”

“Yeah, it’ll be fine. He just came over and burst in like he belonged in here.” 

“We grew up in the same community, and our moms are friends. We’ve always been like this, just not at school. Can you get the boxes out of my chest?”

Alya walked over to the chest, surprised to see it still full of gifts.

“Marinette, what are you going to do with these?”

“Give them to him.”

“Aren’t they clothes? They won’t fit!” Alya half laughed as she grabbed an armfull and stacked them.

“They aren’t all clothes, and I made them based on growth between his and M. Agreste’s measurements,” Marinette said defensively.

“Uh-huh,” Alya said, with a smirk, “Adrien’s shorter and broader than M. Control Freak.”

“Yeah,” Marinette sighed dejectedly looking at the pile of boxes, “I might have a large enough seam allowance to make some things bigger but-”

“Who cares about that!” Alya interrupted, “Are you _sure_ about this?”

“Yes,” Marinette insisted with a soft smile, “I’m very sure, it just...I don’t know, it feels right.” She couldn’t explain to Alya how, when Adrien had asked her to move in with him, she had immediately said yes without even a moment's hesitation. Afterward, when she had time to reflect, she had initially chalked it up to her long held and finally reciprocated crush for the blonde. But after considering that, she realized even that wasn’t it. She couldn’t explain how being with Adrien made her feel complete in a way that she hadn’t in years. She had even asked Tikki for her advice, knowing the tiny goddess of Creation would tell her if she were making a mistake, and Tikki had merely smiled in a mysterious way and told Marinette to listen to her heart.

Alya shrugged and sighed then put her phone down and began helping her pack in earnest. _I hope you know what you and Sunshine are getting yourselves into Mari, for both of your sakes. I can’t stand seeing you two get hurt._


End file.
